The practice of medicine is primarily associated with doctors, and rightly so. Physicians and surgeons are the most skilled practitioners in the field of medicine, and provide care at the highest levels. However, doctors practice with the assistance of a large number of other professionals. Ranging from the ever-present registered nurse to specialized technologists, the field of medicine includes careers to suit almost any set of abilities.

Physicians and Surgeons

Physicians and surgeons undergo one of the most extensive training periods in any profession, ranging from 11 years to 16 or more when residencies and fellowships are included. This exceptional level of training and education is rewarded with excellent salaries, with average pay ranging from under $200,000 to more than $700,000, depending on the doctor's area of specialization. In general, specialists and surgeons earn more than primary-care physicians, such as internists and family doctors.

Mid-Level Providers

Mid-level providers are trained to offer health care at levels approaching those of a physician. Some, such as podiatrists, have their own doctoral degrees and a specialized ability to treat a complicated portion of the human anatomy. Others, such as physician assistants and advanced practice nurses, provide routine medical care that doesn't require a physician's higher level of expertise. Nurse-midwives and nurse anesthetists have narrowly defined areas of practice, while physician assistants, nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists can choose from a wider range of career paths.

Nursing

Nursing is the largest health-care profession, with more than 2.7 million registered nurses and more than 750,000 licensed practical and vocational nurses practicing in the United States as of 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nurses work in every clinical setting, as well as public health, administration, education and medical research. Practical and vocational nurses can enter the field after a one-year certificate program, while registered nurses require an associate or bachelor's degree.

Diagnostic and Laboratory Technologists and Technicians

The work of doctors and nurses depends in large part on the accurate diagnosis of a patient's condition. Much of the information needed to arrive at a diagnosis or course of treatment is supplied by technological support staff in the radiology and pathology departments. Radiologic technologists -- including radiographers, mammographers, CT and MRI technologists, and sonographers -- create diagnostic images of the body's tissues. Laboratory technologists and technicians, cytotechnologists and histotechnologists perform a variety of procedures on blood and tissue samples, helping identify abnormalities and diagnose illnesses.

Management and Administration

Health care as an industry requires managers, administrators and executives to keep facilities working efficiently. Many administrators within the system begin their careers as nurses or technologists, rising through hard work and aptitude to become shift leaders, supervisors and department managers. Typically, they'll upgrade their qualifications by earning a business, management or health-care administration degree once they commit to the management path. Others enter management directly with business or health-care administration degrees, and gain industry experience on the job.

Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates strong growth across the health-care profession, with a projected growth in new jobs of 28 percent between 2010 and 2020. This includes job growth of 24 percent for physicians and surgeons, 26 percent for registered nurses, and 44 percent for ultrasound technologists. Registered nursing alone will account for over 700,000 new jobs during that decade.

About the Author

Fred Decker is a trained chef and certified food-safety trainer. Decker wrote for the Saint John, New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal, and has been published in Canada's Hospitality and Foodservice magazine. He's held positions selling computers, insurance and mutual funds, and was educated at Memorial University of Newfoundland and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.